The Kano State Government has sought a strategic partnership with the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) to accelerate sustainable rural and community development across the state.
The Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Dr. Abdulqadir Abdussalam, made the request during a working visit to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, at the commission’s headquarters in Kano.
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During the visit, the commissioner presented the ministry’s Integrated Sustainability Framework for Rural and Community Development, designed to address infrastructure gaps and improve living conditions in underserved communities.
He explained that the framework was developed through a review of international, national and state development policies, alongside an extensive assessment of grassroots needs across Kano State.
According to him, the framework aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with priority areas including quality education, healthcare, access to water and sanitation, agricultural development and rural infrastructure.
Dr. Abdussalam said the initiative also supports the National Development Plan and Kano State’s Economic Blueprint, which prioritises rural transformation as a key driver of inclusive growth.
He disclosed that the ministry had conducted a year-long field assessment across all 44 local government areas and nearly 400 wards to identify infrastructure deficits and the development needs of rural communities.
The exercise involved traditional institutions, residents, youth associations and other community stakeholders to ensure that interventions address the priorities of the people.
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The commissioner said the ministry was prepared to share relevant data, personnel and community structures with the NWDC to ensure that development projects reach vulnerable and underserved populations.
Responding, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, commended the ministry for adopting a systematic and data-driven approach to rural development.
Professor Ma’aji explained that the commission was established under the NWDC Establishment Act 2024, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to promote socioeconomic development and address poverty, insecurity and infrastructure deficits across the seven North-West states.
The states are Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
He assured the delegation of the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the Kano State Ministry for Rural and Community Development, noting that sustainable development in the region depended on improving conditions in rural communities.
The NWDC chief executive said the ministry’s framework aligned with the commission’s strategic priorities and would provide a basis for coordinated interventions across the region.
He also pledged to direct the commission’s technical team to engage with the ministry immediately to harmonise grassroots needs assessment data with the NWDC’s project pipeline and develop a joint action plan for implementation.
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The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen coordination between the state government and the commission in identifying priority projects and directing development resources towards communities with the greatest needs.
The visit was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Kano State Ministry for Rural and Community Development, Abdulrashid Y. Safana, dated 10 October 2026.